In Greek mythology, Mestra was a daughter of Erychthonius, King of Thessaly.
Her father cut down trees in a grove, sacred to Demeter. She punished him by placing Aethon, the god of famine, in his stomach, making him permanently hungry. He sold all his possessions, including his daughter, Mestra, to buy food but was still hungry. Mestra was freed from slavery by Poseidon, her lover, who gave her the gift of shape-shifting to escape her bonds. Erysichthon sold her numerous times to make money to feed himself. Eventually, Erysichthon ate himself in hunger.
